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The University of Wisconsin filed a lawsuit against the University of Miami alleging tampering of a player, the first of its kind in college football history.
The case centers on defensive back Xavier Lucas, who transferred from the Badgers to the Hurricanes in January after the winter portal cycle closed. Lucas’s situation made headlines this winter because Wisconsin refused to enter him into the transfer portal as required by the NCAA, saying the freshman had already signed a two-year revenue-sharing contract to stay in Madison. Lucas then skirted NCAA rules by enrolling at Miami without entering the portal. The complaint accuses Miami of improperly stealing Lucas away through “tampering,” resulting in a breach of contract.
According to the 23-page complaint, Lucas signed “binding” contracts with the university and NIL (name, image, and likeness) collective on Dec. 2, 2024, and got a “substantial payment” from the collective that day. When he was heading home to Florida for winter break, Lucas told his position coach he had been contacted by other schools, but was “committed” to Wisconsin, the filing says. After being home for a couple of days, Lucas told coaches he wanted to transfer citing personal and family reasons (his attorney said in January that Lucas’s father suffered a “serious, life-threatening illness”), the complaint says.
Wisconsin alleges Miami made “multiple impermissible contacts” with Lucas, including when a Hurricanes coach and “prominent” alumnus visited Lucas’s family home in Florida in December 2024. Miami staff promised to pay the player more money than Wisconsin had already committed, the filing says. Lucas withdrew from Wisconsin and enrolled at Miami in January. He was originally enrolled for fall 2025 but was reclassified to start right away in the spring semester, meaning he could join spring football activities.
Wisconsin’s deal with Lucas would have begun July 1 when the newly approved House v. NCAA settlement will allow revenue-sharing between athletic departments and college athletes. Schools are allowed to share up to $20.5 million across all sports. Lucas had also signed an NIL deal with Wisconsin’s collective to tide him over until the university could legally pay him. Wisconsin’s promised pay to Lucas was one of the highest offered to any athlete at the school, the complaint says.
Wisconsin is seeking “a declaratory judgement to resolve its dispute with Miami” and unspecified damages, according to the complaint filed Friday in Wisconsin’s Circuit Court in Dane County. The school is claiming tortious interference that got in the way of its “lawful and legitimate business relationship” with Lucas. Both the university and its NIL collective, under its official legal name VC Connect, LLC, are listed as plaintiffs.
Yahoo Sports first reported the news.
The complaint also says Miami tried to tamper with another athlete at a different Division I school in late 2024 despite the player’s “written commitment” and transfer portal decision.
“The University of Wisconsin-Madison remains committed to ensuring integrity and fundamental fairness in the evolving landscape of college athletics,” the school says in a statement to Front Office Sports. “While we reluctantly bring this case, we stand by our position that respecting and enforcing contractual obligations is essential to maintaining a level playing field.”
A representative for Wisconsin’s collective deferred questions to the university, but tells FOS “as a co-plaintiff, we share in their effort to protect the integrity of college athletics and the contractual rights in written agreements during these dynamic times.”
Lucas’s attorney Darren Heitner tells FOS: “I don’t represent the institution and Mr. Lucas hasn’t been sued. Thus, I have no comment.”
The Big Ten says in a statement to FOS that it is “supportive” of Wisconsin’s case, calling Miami’s actions “irreconcilable with a sustainable college sports framework.” “As alleged, the University of Miami knowingly ignored contractual obligations and disregarded the principle of competitive equity that is fundamental to college athletics.”
Representatives for Miami and the ACC did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Lucas was a four-star prospect in the class of 2024. As a freshman last season, he totaled 18 total tackles, an interception, and a sack in seven games for the Badgers.
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